Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Bars #SundaySupper!

This #SundaySupper post is in conjunction with the brand of outdoor gear (shoes and clothing) Merrell (one of my favs) and I thought it appropriate to let you in on a little of my outdoorsy history and then give a great recipe for some good outdoor activity kind of food! The best part is, Merrell has agreed to compensate some of us SundaySupper-ans (I’m included, yay!) with a gift certificate and has also given us a women’s footwear product to giveawaytoo! So if you like free stuff and are interested in #WINNING, see the bottom of this post for details….

If you know me, then you know I’m one of those “outdoorsy” types. I love to be out in nature more than most things, and when exercising, I almost always choose something that can be done cheaply and outside, rather than spending time in a gym. Some of my favorite past times are actually when I used to rock climb. I started climbing in an indoor rock gym (read: ironic) and then eventually got the courage to climb on real rocks outside. Since I lived in Manhattan at the time, the first actual rocks I ever climbed were Rat Rock and Cat Rock in Central Park. I soon graduated to short day trips to places like Bear Mountain and the Gunks. And when I took a 6 month solo roadtrip after college, I spent a lot of time climbing with friends in various locales around the Western US.

Not only did I love climbing, but I loved the “approach”, too. The word approach in climbing refers to the hike that one must take in order to get to a rock face. Which can be it’s own little tiring adventure in itself. So let’s say you plan on doing several hours of climbing in one day. You can imagine that climbing will wear you out pretty quick. But now imagine that you need to actually get to the rock in the first place. There can be (and often are) hours of approach time necessary to hike to a rock face from where you parked, not to mention the hike back to the car after a long strenuous day of activity. My favorite part of both hiking and climbing are the views you get from going to these distant lands to scale a rock; so worth it!

And now that I live in Florida, well, let’s just say I haven’t seen a rock here…well….ever! Lol. The nearest climbing here is like 8 hours away in Georgia and forget hiking here with all those nasty bugs and prickly bushes. No thank you! I’ll stick to walking trails and the beach any day as my adapted form of outdoorsy-ness here. Ha!

So imagine my delight when an awesome company like Merrell wanted to work with us – right up my alley! I chose a recipe that fits perfectly into my past experiences – a Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Bar that really packs in some much needed calories into a little space. Delicious, energy-giving, game crushing calories. When I’m with my climbing or hiking buddies, we have to support each other in ways that are very serious – always looking out for each other’s safety. You become family real quick in situations like this, and the bonding time over eating is one of the sweetest moments of your days. You could also take these bars with you on any excursion with your own family – a long day at the beach, or even on a long roadtrip where you need some quick, healthy food. Best part is, there’s no preservatives in these bars and they’re SUPER simple to make. Check out the short video I made below to show you the recipe:

DIRECTIONS
Microwave the peanut butter to make it easier to mix. Mix all ingredients together thoroughly and flatten into an 8×8 cake pan, that has been greased with cooking spray. Refrigerate for an hour. Cut into 8 rectangular bars.

*Additional liquid or protein powder, etc may be needed to arrive at the correct consistency so they’re not too dry or too sticky, since all protein powders are different. I ended up baking mine for 10 minutes at 350 degrees. Also, I don’t like mine too sweet, so these are perfect. But you may want more sugar!

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Here are the links for all the other lovely #SundaySupper-ans who are posting with me today! The first ten are also hosting their own giveaway that you could win as well!

ABOUT THE MERRELL GIVEAWAY:

The giveaway that I am able to offer on my blog is for this awesome-looking women’s hiking boot called the Palvina boot. Looks old school European but still cool enough to wear everyday! Check out a pic and video:

DO YOU WANT TO WIN the cute PALVINA BOOT??

Here is how to enter to win. You must do both, #1 and #2, to have an eligible entry:

1. Leave a comment below on what Sunday Supper means to you and your family – AND – include your twitter handle in the comment. Comment must be posted by 8 pm Eastern time today (Sunday, July 29, 2012).

2. Join in the conversation during the live #SundaySupper chat on Twitter 7-8 pm Eastern Time today (Sunday, July 29, 2012). Your tweet(s) must contain the #SundaySupper hashtag.

The winner will be chosen randomly from the eligible entries. Eligible entries will be assigned a number and the number will be selected using Random.org. The winner will receive a redemption code so he/she can order the shoes directly from the Merrell website (ground shipping included). Note: Giveaway open for United States residents only.

There are more opportunities to win. Remember there are ten bloggers with giveaways and each blogger has a different Merrell product for their giveaway. Be sure to visit each one to read all about what Sunday Supper means to each blogger, check out their recipe, and enter to win. The links to the ten blogs (including this one) are above!

@myinfosnap Sunday Supper was simply the best meal of the week when I was growing up. My mom and dad were always there as well as my three brothers. My dad always sat at the head of the table. Everyone was required to be there and it was just a wonderfully chatty sit down meal prepared entirely by my mom and eaten at our kitchen table-no dining room back then.
Our meals always started with the Lord’s Blessing which we took turns saying. Those meals were the glue to a lifetime family bonding and the best lesson in motherhood I could have received.
Brenda Ellison

#SundaySupper to me is enjoying the company of family and friends, winding down the week with lots of food and drink. I love to cook large meals. Looks so scrumptious. Cindy Brickley at cjbrick@ymail.com See ya at 7:00

Amazing! I love these bars. And look at the pic of you just hanging there! LOL!

Jill S.
on 07/29/2012 at 12:12 pm

Sunday Supper at my house is brunch after church. I make eggs, biscuits with sausage gravy, and bacon. Or some Sundays it’s French toast or blueberry pancakes. It’s always something homey and filling, and a change from the granola or oatmeal we eat all week long. @jsculerati

Sunday supper for me means bringing to my children the Sunday suppers I grew up with. It doesn’t necessarily mean a big dinner — or even a “fancy” dinner — but it means a home-cooked dinner, and being together, even if the week was crazy. A perfect way to start the new week.

Oh my gosh – rock climbing scares the bejeebus out of me! But I’m in awe of those of “you” who do it. And these are the perfect little bars to pack away for that much needed energy boost. Hmmm…I could use a boost after my morning walk (somehow doesn’t sound the same…) ;) For me, #SundaySupper means embracing old family traditions while creating new ones. @girlichef

Cheri: Thank you for the protein bar recipe. I have actually been surfing the net for a good recipe. My son is going back to college and I wanted to make him some protein bars for an on-the-go snack. I will probably be using hemp protein, as my son cannot tolerate the whey protein. Can’t wait to try these out!

Titi
on 08/04/2012 at 9:54 pm

This is so good idea, Cheri. !!!
Thank you.
What is your best recipe? The one that you say “that one comes always perfect”
Bisous

cheri
on 08/05/2012 at 10:50 am

Titi! Thank you so much. The thing about me, is that I like to eat ALL KINDS of different things. So it’s hard for me to choose one! But I have to say that I maybe my favorite recipe on the site so far is the Summer Shrimp Pasta dish: http://thewateringmouth.com/summer-shrimp-pasta/

This blog is not intended to be used as medical or nutritional advice. Information and statements regarding health claims on this blog have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. You should always consult a doctor before making any changes to your diet and exercise routine.